13   Friday, September 12   Fort Macleod, AB

Today has been, quite simply, the most amazing day.
It ranks up there as one of the best in my life. If
I were to recount all of it, as I am tempted to do,
I think I should be here for hours on end. Let's tackle
this in chronological order, then, as I see no other way
of doing it. I left Fernie this morning under a very
foreboding sky. Not raining, but definitely threatening.
If not for the fact that there seemed no end to it, I
would have probably stayed an extra day at the Youth
Hostel to wait it out. At any rate, I did leave. From
Fernie, it is about 50km to Crowsnest Pass (1350m) at
the Alberta border. I have to say that that was one of
the hardest on my journey. Not because of the hill --
that in fact was negligible -- or the road itself or
anything, but rather the wind. I faced a strong headwind
out of Fernie that only grew stronger as I continued. At
Sparwood, it started to rain heavily, so for the last
10-15 miles, I was grinding uphill into a fierce wind
driving rain into my face, and due to the altitude, it
became bitterly cold. I would not want to ever repeat
that. Again, I was tempted to returnm to Fernie to dry
out for another night at the Youth Hostel, as I was by
now quite soaked. It is well that I didn't. The summit
at Crowsnest worked the most incredible metamorphosis I
have ever witnessed. witnessed. The clouds lifted, or
rather, were left behind. The sun began to shine, bright,
warm and dry. The incredible headwind up to the top
suddenly reversed itself, propelling me down the other
side. I was dry within the half-hour. I could but laugh.
But I am ahead of myself. These were but the external
effects of crossing the pass. I have often heard the
expression, to "be at a loss for words." Right now, I am
living it. Jubilation, Triumph, Exultation, Wonder...
All these and their superlatives but begin to describe
my feelings as I came over the top. As I left behind,
finally, the mountains of BC. As I rode along the top of
the world. As I felt, with no exaggeration, that I could
do *anything*. To misquote a favourite line of mine, I
felt "almost alive." And so onward! Onward and Eastward!
And so wherever I go, there shall I be...!

I'm afraid the rest is somewhat anticlimactic, although
none the less amazing for it. I have mentioned the
tailwind that blew down from the top of the pass. That
tailwind is with me still. It is incredibly strong. In
fact, I have not had cause to pedal much. It is strong
enough to almost propel me up the hills, and on the
downhills I have hit a hood 60-70 km/h. I don't believe
I took the bike out of top gear from the top of the
hill all the way to dinner here in Ft. Macleod, which is
a good 110km. And which, by the way, I managed to do in
a little over 2 1/2 hrs. I have decided not to go to
Calgary. Chiefly because of this wind. I have such a good
thing going, I see no reason to leave it, and turn
Northward. I intend to ride out this wind as far as it
takes me. At this rate, if it keeps up, I should be in
Ontario within a week.

And still I neglect myself. The prairies, thus far, have
been truly wondrous. They are exactly as I imagined, yet
not. I don't know how to describe it, being again at a
loss for words. I suspect that someday I shall tire of
them, but not, I don't think, any time soon. Over every
hill (for they are not totally flat, but rather are
composed of low rolling hills), I am greeted with
something new. The threshing machines, billowing clouds
of chaff. The hills speckled with hundreds of windmills.
All the things that are commonplace, but which I am
seeing for the first time. This is why I left. To see
these sights. And as I look Westward, the mountains of
BC have already passed from the horizon. But I have
written already far too long. Paper and time are
precious. To sleep, now. "To sleep, perchance to dream"...